


One More Try

by overcookednoodles



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: M/M, Otasune
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-18
Updated: 2015-07-18
Packaged: 2018-04-10 00:28:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4370189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/overcookednoodles/pseuds/overcookednoodles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Bookstore AU)<br/>When Dave, a professor at the local University, is forced to go to the book store after finding out his library didn’t have the required reading, he stumbles upon Hal, a cashier who steals his heart. Unable to muster up courage to actually ask him out, he tries to ‘show off’. Will his antics work?</p>
            </blockquote>





	One More Try

Books stores never really interested David. Sure, he loved to read, but buying books was expensive. Which is why he stuck to the libraries. But when none of the counties had the book he needed to read before his students did, he had no choice but to go to one. He lived 5 minutes from one and passed it every day on his way to the university at which he worked. Might as well take advantage of that. As he strolled in, he was met with the aroma of coffee, a must-have for any book store. It had a warm atmosphere to it, making Dave feel right at home. Why did he avoid book stores again? The reason seemed to flee as he poked around the isles, looking for what he needed. Finally coming across it within a matter of minutes, he went straight to the registers. Not really paying any attention, he placed the book down and reached for his wallet.

“Will that be all for you today, sir?”

Dave looked up to respond to the cashier and his heart immediately stopped. Standing in front of him, was probably the dorkiest man he had ever come across… and the cutest. He had a beaming smile that pretty much took Dave’s breath away. The nametag read ‘Hal’. For a minute, he was speechless, unable to find words as his face lit up.

“U-uh, yeah.”

“Okay! Your total’s going to be $7.99!”

Dave reached for his debit card, hands shaking. There were only a few select people who had this effect on him, but he never expected that a nerdy cashier would be one of them. Keep it together, he told himself, as he swiped his card. He could hardly sign his John Hancock without making it look all messy, with wobbly hands.

“Alright, here you go. Have a nice day!”

“Uh, thanks. You too.” he replied, taking the bag quickly before anyone would notice anything about the way he was acting.

He had to go back. He needed to see that cashier again. And that’s what he did. Over the course of the next few days, he would go in, grab some book, sit at the coffee shop, and pretend to read, while in reality, he was observing Hal. Whenever their eyes would meet, Hal would smile that smile of his, and Dave would turn a deep scarlet, eyes darting back to his ‘book.’ He thought several times about going up and talking to him, but as soon as he would, his knees would buckle and he’d chicken out. He couldn’t keep this up. He needed to actually muster up the courage and just talk to him, and hopefully ask him out. But… what if he got rejected? The sudden fear made his heart and stomach drop. Not only would he have his heart broken, but he’d be embarrassed in front of god and everyone. The whole idea of it kept him tossing and turning at night. He had to do something. Something desperate. Which is exactly what he did. After going through a few articles online on how to impress a love interest, Dave came across the result that he thought would have him a date in 5 seconds.

“Hope this works”, he sighed, before heading off to bed.

The next day, Dave walked into the bookstore with only a pair of mesh workout shorts and running shoes. He was slick with sweat, from running all the way from his house to the store. Some customers noticed and had mixed reactions. One girl even giggled. Dave stretched his arms up, showing off his toned muscles. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Hal, restocking a shelf. Perfect. Putting on the cool guy persona, he waltzed over to him.

“Do you know where the workout books are”, he said, rolling his shoulder.

Hal took one glance at him and gave him a look.

“Right next to the weight loss section in the back,” turning back to what he was doing, not even batting an eye.

Dave could tell that this was already a disaster, and he hadn’t even really made a move. Time to stopping beating around the bush and jump right to the point.

“So I was thinking last night. You’re quite the sight. Wanna hook up?”, he asked nonchalantly, flexing his muscles.

Hal turned and gave him a disgusted look.

“What?”

“You know, you come to my place, we pop in a movie, and then we make sweet sweet love.”

“What?! No!”

“Aw come on, you know you want to. I mean, who can resist my fine ass body?”

“Me.”, Hal said, voice laced with irritation, as he moved on to the next section.

“But, I-“

“Please leave me alone.”, Hal miffed, clearly at his breaking point.

Bam. Just like that, he was shot down. Blood rushing from his face, Dave finally gave up and got the hell out of the place as quick as he could.

Well, that didn’t work. Time to think of something else. What else impressed people? Well, bad boys were quite the thing now adays. Maybe if he acted like a jerk, Hal would suddenly just fall in his arms. Yeah, that would work. It HAD to.

Attempt #2. Dave entered the store the next day like it was just like any other day. He had one objective, and he didn’t need to get cocky this time. Walking right up to the register where Hal was currently counting money from the register, Dave leaned on the edge and threw him a haughty look.

Hal looked up and let out a sigh. Here we go again. He just continued to count and pretended not to notice.

“Nice ass.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. You got a fine ass.”

Hal gave him a disgusted look, similar to the one he gave him yesterday.

“Do I need to call security on you?”

“Aww come on. Don’t be like, sugar.”

Hal narrowed his eyes at Dave, reaching for the microphone.

“Wait! What if I took you out before we bang?”

“The answer is still no. Now get out of the store before I have you escorted out.”

Dave didn’t get it. Shouldn’t he have been wooed by now? He was acting like a douche AND he gave him a ‘compliment’. Disgruntled, he sulked out of the shop before he got in any more trouble.

This was not going as well as Dave had wanted it to. He didn’t get it. What was it going to take to win this guy over? Dave felt hopeless, at the point of almost giving up. He didn’t know what he would do next. He was going to give it one last shot. He would just go up to him and ask him out. Nothing more. If that didn’t work, then Dave vowed to never return to the place again, in fear of being shamed. He really didn’t think that simply asking the guy out work. But it was his last hope.

The next day, he trudged into the store with a heavy heart and butterflies in his stomach. There he was, at the registers, being his perfect self, as he rang up customers. Dave gathered up all the courage he had and walked up to Hal. Taking notice, Hal snubbed him and moved on to doing something else to make it look like he was busy.

“I , uh… I’m sorry for acting like an idiot. You probably hate my guts by now, but I just want to say that I kind of like you and I’d like to take you out but I already fucked that up for myself so I’ll show myself the door.”

But as he turned to leave, he heard a chuckle.

“You didn’t need to do all that.”

“W-what?” He spun around, puzzled, to face a grinning Hal.

“You didn’t need to do all that ‘showing off’. I liked you from the start. And I kind of guessed you liked me by the way you frequented. It’s kind of flattering and all, the stuff you did. Even though you got a bit annoying at the end there, I could tell you were trying, and it was endearing… and kind of cute”

Dave turned bright red and felt his heart go nuts.

“Wait… you like me? And you KNEW I liked you back?!”

“Of course! If you had kept up the whole ‘fake reading’ thing you were doing, I would have just given you my number.”

Dave just stood there, confused as hell. He had so many questions and the inability to ask any of them.

Hal giggled, tore of a piece of receipt paper, scribbled something on it, and placed it in Dave’s hand.

“How about dinner and a movie? Let’s say… you pick me up at 6:30?”

“I-I-I…”

Walking over towards Dave, he leaned in and pecked him on the cheek before walking off.

“Don’t be late!”

Finally comprehending it all, Dave rubbed where he was kissed and looked at the piece of parchment he was given.

 

Well, that was a thing. All that mattered was that he finally scored.

And later that night, he scored BIG time.


End file.
